Reactive Power Compensation and Harmonic Mitigation by Static VAr Compensator (SVC) and Passive Filters

Abstract

Power quality plays a vital role in power system network. One of the important loads in the network is the Electric Arc Furnace (EAF’s) which is used in Steel Producing plants along with electrical drives and welding machines. Where non-linear characteristics of EAF are the major source of power quality issues that include reactive power consumption, harmonic production and system unbalance. This leads to voltage flickers and fluctuations. SVC is one of the effective FACTS devices to overcome these power quality problems. In this proposed work, TCR-FC type of SVC is used for reactive power compensation and harmonic mitigation. Operating principle and control strategy of TCR-FC are described briefly. By controlling the firing angle of the thyristor, TCR-FC provides required reactive power and reduced voltage fluctuations. This model is simulated in MATLAB software and observed the performance of SVC over fast varying reactive power compensation and voltage fluctuations. Single tuned passive filter is simulated in MATLAB as well as CYME software. Designed harmonic passive filter reduced distortion of the dominating harmonic of the furnace.